Attitude of Gratitude for 2017 – December 6, 2017 – My Fondness for Studded Snow Tires
Once I got the lovely studded snow tires on my Honda last January, I busted out of Carson City and headed North. This is Mt. Shasta on I-5 in California.
In late August when I was a kid, I’d start getting my school game on. Now, I start to think about which of my vehicles in Alaska needs studded snow tires. Up here, if you don’t have them ordered by mid-September, it’s can be tough to get them. With the snow, thaw freeze cycle that happens – you’re stuck in your house most of the winter without studded snow tires. I even have studded snow boots.
Last January though I did find myself house bound. But not in Alaska. Down in Carson City. It had snowed so much that it was actually accumulating and icing. The snow boots with the ice field crampons I had on when I left Haines to head to Carson, came in very handy when I had to dig out my four wheel drive truck when it went off the steep driveway.
I had plans to head North to meet with some colleagues in Seattle, and had to drive because I was on flying restrictions due to an ear infection. With three mountain passes to cross between Carson City and Seattle, there was no way my smaller all wheel drive Honda was going to do much better than the four wheel drive truck on the snow packed roads. I called Les Schwab and inquired, “Any way you can get me studded snow tires for a Honda?” They said, “No problem, we’ll have them here for you by noon tomorrow.” Best news I had heard in a while.
I got the tires on the car and was off the next day North. For a wanderlust like me, being stuck at home, while fun for a day or two, gets claustrophopic really fast. I had places to go, people to see, things to do. With the flying restriction and the biggest snow year in almost a decade – those studded snow tires were the lifeline to the world as I like to move through it.
